It doesn’t hurt having supermodel looks and outstanding athletic ability to go with it.

The American hurdler has garnered her share of controversy over the years, but there’s no denying her talent, winning the 100-metre event at Edmonton International Track Classic at Foote Field on Saturday.

Jones beat a strong field, which included Canadians Angela White and Jessica Zelinka.

“I think Usain Bolt showed that people love it when you have a personality,” said Jones after the race. “He was the first one to do a two-step at the start line.

“Fans love it and we get it, it’s a great sport, but there is a lot of lag time and they don’t really get to know us. I try my best. I wish I had the secret to not making anybody mad, but I’m bound to do it. I apologize in advance.”

A two-time Olympian, who is now a two-sport athlete, having been named to the U.S. bobsled team in October, Jones, 30, does not shy away from the controversy.

She was within reach of the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics, but clipped the penultimate hurdle while well ahead of the field, stumbled and finished seventh. She did not mask her disappointment following the race, with an outpouring of emotion on the track.

Last summer, Jones finished fourth at the London Games and then was thrown under the bus by teammates Dawn Harper and Kellie Wells — the silver and bronze-medal winners respectively — who felt she was getting undeserved media attention and taking it away from them.

Most recently, Jones has come under fire for some of her twitter posts. Earlier this week, Jones tweeted about witness Rachel Jeantel, testifying at the George Zimmerman trial in Florida, comparing her to a fictional comedy character: “Rachel Jeantel looked so irritated during the cross-examination that I burned it on DVD and I’m going to sell it as Madea goes to court.”

Zimmerman is on trial for the murder of Florida teen Trayvon Martin. Jeantel was the last person to speak to him on the phone before being shot by Zimmerman who was a community watch leader.

“My tweet the other day kind of offended some people, and it all depends on where they come from,” Jones said. “At that point, I should have just said my Twitter got hacked.

“I try to make people laugh or inspire them or just open up to my world without being a typical, mundane, PG athlete. But you walk a fine line because everyone’s sense of humour is different and sensitivities are different, so I’m bound to make somebody mad with my tweets. But at the end of the day, if they knew me better, they would know that there are no bad intentions with my tweets. I try my best, but I am human. At least I’m not just out there trying to sell you shoes or more Red Bull.”

What Jones and a number of her fellow hurdlers are doing is making track and field more appealing to the general public.

Sunday’s race was one of the most highly anticipated events of the local meet, which continues to grow and attract higher-calibre athletes.

Yet Jones is currently in a transitional phase of her career, getting pulled in a couple of different directions having taken up a new sport.

“Right now, I’m just taking it race by race,” she said. “I’m dealing with a transition to bobsled at some point. My bobsled coach wants me now and my track coach wants me to keep plugging away because I’m on the verge of a personal best. I’m torn between two coaches right now, so it’s a ménage a trois right now.”

Jones is expected to compete at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia in February. She’s currently the brakeman on the women’s bobsleigh team.

“They compliment each other, but this is the part where it’s tricky,” she said. “With the Winter Olympics coming up the bobsleigh team has a lot of pressure to perform earlier and with track, I’m tapering off because I didn’t make the World Championship team. I’ve never dealt with these before so I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Edmonton International Track Classic hurdles winner, U.S. track star Lolo Jones attracts attention to her sport, controversy with her personality

It doesn’t hurt having supermodel looks and outstanding athletic ability to go with it.

The American hurdler has garnered her share of controversy over the years, but there’s no denying her talent, winning the 100-metre event at Edmonton International Track Classic at Foote Field on Saturday.

Jones beat a strong field, which included Canadians Angela White and Jessica Zelinka.

“I think Usain Bolt showed that people love it when you have a personality,” said Jones after the race. “He was the first one to do a two-step at the start line.

“Fans love it and we get it, it’s a great sport, but there is a lot of lag time and they don’t really get to know us. I try my best. I wish I had the secret to not making anybody mad, but I’m bound to do it. I apologize in advance.”

A two-time Olympian, who is now a two-sport athlete, having been named to the U.S. bobsled team in October, Jones, 30, does not shy away from